Chelsea have confirmed record signing Moises Caicedo will take the club’s No.25 shirt number.
The number has sentimental value at Stamford Bridge, with the last incumbent being the iconic Gianfranco Zola.
Despite a vast array of big money signings in the years since the Italian left west London in 2003, no one has taken the shirt, though it is the number Caicedo wore at Brighton.
The 21-year-old contacted Zola to ask permission to the shirt, to which the former Chelsea star responded: “Thank you for the message, Moises. I hope it will bring to you as many pleasures as it brought to me. Good luck.”
Caicedo will now be the first to wear it since Zola after completing a £115m move to Chelsea earlier this week.
The Ecuadorian international is in line to make his debut away at West Ham on Sunday and could be joined by Belgian international Romeo Lavia.
The Southampton midfielder is set for a medical at Cobham after the clubs agreed a fee worth in the region of £58m for the former Manchester City youngster.
